The dust is settling in California, and the picture coming into focus tells us something important about the state of politics in the Golden State.
Steve Hilton, the former television host who has made waves with his outsider approach to politics, will face off against Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services Secretary, in November’s gubernatorial election. This comes after Tom Steyer, the billionaire hedge fund founder turned environmental activist, threw in the towel Tuesday evening.
“It’s now clear that we do not have the votes necessary to advance to the general election in November,” Steyer wrote in a letter posted publicly. For a man who poured more than $200 million of his own fortune into this race, those words must have been particularly difficult to write.
A week after California’s jungle primary system sorted through the field, we are left with a race that represents two distinctly different visions for America’s most populous state. Hilton brings an outsider’s perspective, having spent years critiquing the political establishment before deciding to step into the arena himself. Becerra carries the credentials of a seasoned government official who has navigated the corridors of power in Washington.
Steyer’s exit marks the end of what can only be described as an expensive political education. The man spent more than a decade involved in state politics and environmental activism before making this gubernatorial run. He previously attempted to secure the Democratic presidential nomination, an effort that also fell short of its goal. Sometimes, money and good intentions are not enough in politics, a lesson that has been taught and retaught throughout American history.
The billionaire’s departure from the race clears the path for what promises to be a spirited contest between two candidates with fundamentally different approaches to governance. Hilton has built his campaign on challenging the status quo and questioning the assumptions that have guided California policy for years. Becerra represents continuity with the current direction of state leadership, bringing experience in healthcare policy and federal administration to the table.
California voters will now have a clear choice come November. The state faces significant challenges, from housing affordability to water management, from education funding to public safety concerns. How the next governor addresses these issues will affect not just California but, given the state’s size and influence, the entire nation.
This race matters beyond California’s borders. The state has long served as a laboratory for policy ideas that eventually spread across the country, for better or worse. What happens in Sacramento rarely stays in Sacramento.
As we move toward November, both campaigns will need to articulate their visions clearly and demonstrate why they deserve the trust of California voters. The primary has concluded, but the real test lies ahead.
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